Over the years, Gerry Sandusky called games featuring Hall of Fame talents like Ray Lewis, Ed Reed, and Terrell Suggs, but according to Sandusky, no player changed his actual broadcasting style more than Lamar Jackson. While appearing on The Lounge with Ryan Mink and Garrett Downing, Sandusky explained how Jackson’s speed and unpredictability forced him to completely rethink how he approached play-by-play.
According to Sandusky, before Lamar arrived, he always tried to stay ahead of the action while calling games. That stopped working once Jackson took over at quarterback.
“Before Lamar, I would always be on the front tip of the ball. Wherever the front tip of the ball is, that was where my call was. With Lamar, his ball skills are so electric and fast that when I first started to call games that Lamar was doing, I would get as lost as a defensive end crashing on the read option.”
Sandusky said he eventually had to intentionally delay himself slightly while calling games just to keep up with Jackson’s movement.
“I had to literally back up about a second, a heartbeat, and call the game from behind the ball with Lamar. Because you never knew what he was going to do, and there was no way your brain could stay on top of it because he was moving at such electric speed.”
That’s probably one of the best descriptions anyone has ever given for what it’s actually like trying to process Lamar Jackson in real time. Even veteran broadcasters with decades of experience had to adjust because of how unique Jackson is as a player.
This article originally appeared on Ravens Wire: Ravens icon Gerry Sandusky says Lamar Jackson changed everything